


Some Kinda Shuffle

by sunsetmog



Series: See This Night Through [2]
Category: Emmerdale
Genre: M/M, Vacation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-10-18
Updated: 2010-10-18
Packaged: 2017-10-31 02:41:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,127
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/338987
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunsetmog/pseuds/sunsetmog
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Tea?" Jackson asks. </p>
<p>Or: Jackson and Aaron on holiday.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Some Kinda Shuffle

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted [here](http://sunsetmog-fics.livejournal.com/58634.html) in October 2010.

The hotel room doesn't exactly have a view, as such, but there's a balcony with a table and a couple of chairs, and Jackson reckons that they could probably sit there of an evening and see into the hotel over the road. 

Aaron wrinkles his nose. "Near to the pubs, you said."

"And we are," Jackson says, which might be a lie, but whatever. He ruffles Aaron's hair, just because he can, and because Aaron ducking away is still funny. "But first we're going to have a cup of tea, and a nice sit down." So far they've seen the inside of the coach from the airport, and the reception desk downstairs.

Aaron makes a face. "Where'd you get tea from?"

"Brought it with me, didn't I?" Jackson says, unzipping his case with a flourish and coming back with a handful of teabags and some of those plastic milk cartons you get in motorway service stations. Jackson keeps a bag of them in the glove compartment of his van, for when he's stuck doing a building job for tight-arses who don't offer him tea. "Ta da," Jackson says, sticking a pan on the little stove in the corner of the apartment and tipping the rest of his bottle of water into the pan to boil. "Amazing, right?"

"That's one word for it," Aarons says, eyeing Jackson's stash of tea with distrust. 

"Yep," Jackson says. "Blame my mum. She always travels with tea. Says it makes the journey worthwhile, if there's tea at the other end."

Aaron just nods, and Jackson is struck again by how Aaron hasn't got any stories like that, nothing at all before Paddy, and Chas, sort of. He doesn't let the pity show on his face though, because he isn't one for dwelling on shit he can't control, and anyway, he's more of a here and now type of guy. So instead, he crowds Aaron back against the wall, careful to always let Aaron have room to escape - Aaron hates being trapped more than anything, not that he'd ever admit it - and Jackson cups Aaron's cheek in his hand. 

"Water's going to take a few minutes to boil," he says. 

"Uh-huh," Aaron says, his gaze flitting between Jackson's mouth and his eyes. He licks his lips, and Jackson closes the gap between them, just because he can, and kisses him. 

Aaron kisses him back, kind of fiercely, because Aaron doesn't do anything without at least looking like he doesn't want to. Jackson quite likes the fierceness, though, even though secretly he prefers the softer, private Aaron he only occasionally gets a glimpse of, when Aaron lets his guard down and stops hiding. Jackson doesn't see that side of Aaron very often, and today isn't one of those times. Aaron stays on edge, even though he gives in to the kiss and curls one hand around Jackson's shoulder, the closest Aaron sometimes gets to holding Jackson near. 

"What was that for?" Aaron asks, as grumpily as he can manage when he's still staring at Jackson's mouth. He's so transparent sometimes, Jackson thinks, like a fucking _window_ or something. Aaron clearly has no idea whatsoever that he's a easily readable as he is. Aaron thinks he's as tough as old boots.

Jackson knows better, though. "Wanted to," he says, thinking about kissing Aaron again. "That a crime?"

"No," Aaron shrugs, awkwardly. "It's just soppy, innit?"

Aaron has not seen soppy. Aaron does not know soppy. "Wait until I buy you flowers," Jackson jokes. "Then you'll know what soppy is."

"Don't buy me flowers," Aaron tells him, quickly, and it isn't like Jackson ever had any intention of it before this moment, but now he has to. 

"Aww," he says, "and I had it all planned out and everything."

"You never did," Aaron says, but there's that note of uncertainty in his voice, the one Jackson knows means Aaron doesn't have a clue how to react. Jackson doesn't continue with his joke, because sometimes Aaron's uncertainty is worth fighting against, and sometimes it makes Aaron uncomfortable and unsure, and neither of them get anything from the experience. 

"Nah," Jackson says, easily. He strokes at Aaron's cheek with the crook of his finger. Aaron doesn't run kicking and screaming, so Jackson doesn't stop. 

He does actually have a few things planned out for him and Aaron for this holiday, though he'd never actually admit that to Aaron. One of them is getting off with Aaron as much as humanely possible. Another is just getting to touch him a lot, since normally they don't get to do that all that much. He kisses Aaron again, just because he can, and Aaron kisses him back, enthusiastic as Aaron ever is. Jackson grins against his mouth and slides one hand under Aaron's t-shirt, stroking at his skin with the tips of his fingers. 

Aaron's just relaxing into it when Jackson hears the water start to boil, and he pulls away, grinning. It doesn't do to let Aaron know what hand he's playing all the time anyway. Jackson thinks he could be a good poker player, if only he'd ever bothered to learn the rules.

"Tea?" Jackson asks, and Aaron has to blink before he realises that Jackson isn't going to kiss him again. _Score_ , Jackson thinks, and grins, elbowing Aaron in the side. 

Aaron furrows his brow. "I suppose," he says, which Jackson knows is a lie, since Jackson has seen Aaron and Paddy sit and drink cup after cup without even noticing. 

"Great," Jackson says, and he pours the water into two mugs, stirring the teabags about for a minute. He cracks open one of the milk cartons, tipping it into the tea before sliding his hand around Aaron's waist. Aaron doesn't move away, and Jackson presses a kiss to Aaron's jaw before handing him his tea.

Aaron doesn't even pretend to grimace, which is definitely progress. Jackson likes to concentrate mainly on the good things, since everything else is outside of his control, anyway. He's here, he's having tea with his boyfriend in their holiday apartment, and for the moment, everything is good. 

He doesn't even complain when Aaron switches on MTV Europe and sits inside rather than going to sit outside on the balcony in the sunshine. He just plonks himself down next to Aaron on the sofa and sprawls across him, his legs across Aaron's lap, ignoring Aaron's enraged _oy_. 

It's kind of nice, especially when halfway through his mug of tea, Aaron wraps his hand around Jackson's ankle and studiously ignores Jackson completely, in favour of staring at some shit dance video on the TV. 

Jackson doesn't care. He's happy, and he's comfortable, and so is Aaron, and he can't really ask for anything else.


End file.
